Apparatus for making artificial sponges.



No. 652,6 3.. Patented lun 26, I900.

T. A. OCALLAGHAN.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING ARTIFICIAL SPONGES.

(Agplication filed Apr. 4, 1898. (No Model.) 2 Sheet$heet I.

w'ibm ow I A MW 21. Alma-uh g w 'm: mums l nens co. Puuradrm vasamomra. a. c. 0

N0. 652,683. Patented lune-26, I900.

T. A.. O CALLAGHANk; I APPARATUS FOR MAKING ARTIFICIAL SPONGES.

(Application filed Apr. 4, 1898.)

l 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.

I IIIIIIII IWIIIII I j WJ'M/QSAW c5. (2. 76 444 NORRIS vzraas mp uu'ruou WASHWCITON. n. c.

irnn Sirnrrns PATENT rrrc APPARATUS FOR MAKING ARTIFICIAL SPONGES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 652,683, dated June 26, 1900.

Application filed p fl, 1898. Serial No. 676,291. (Nomodelfi To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS A. OOALLA- GHAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcesterand State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Artificial Sponges, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to artificial sponges used in surgical operations, 85c.

Artificial sponges are now extensively used in all kinds of surgical operations instea'dof the well-known marine sponge. These'artificial sponges are made of cotton gauze, cheesecloth, or other similar material, which is cut up into suitable shapes and sizes and then folded or rolled into two or more thicknesses of the material, according to the thickness of the sponge desired, and the ends connected by folding one end into the other without any sewing or other means of fastening. The out or raw edges of the material are turned in, so as not to be exposed. It is very essential that these artificial sponges should be properly made, so as to remain whole and firm when used, and also that they should have an even and smooth surface of uniform thickness with no out or raw edges exposed and no possibility of any threads becoming detached from the cut edges of the material. I'Ieretofore these sponges have been made by simply folding or rolling the material into the desired shape and thickness without the employment of any mechanical means. The sponges so made are often not'properl y made. They may not be even and smooth or the ends properly connected or the cut or raw edges properly turned in.

The object of my invention is to supply a machine or apparatus for making the sponges very expeditiously and cheaply and by means of which stronger and better sponges than have heretofore been made can be made and of any desired size and thickness.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cylinder forming a part of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of another cylinder forming another artof the apparatus. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a third cylinder forming another part of the apparatus. Fig. 4is a top View of a cylinder, showing the divided edges passed by each 1 other to reduce the diameter of the cylinder.

Fig. 5 is an end or edge view of an artificial sponge made by my improved method after it is drawn off from the inner cylinder. Fig. 6 is a vertical section through the sponge shown 'in Fig. 5 on line 6 6 looking in the direction of arrow (1, same figurejand Fig. 7 is a plan view of the sponge after it is pressed or flattened.

In the accompanying drawings, A is a 1101- low cylinder, preferably made of metal, with the ends open and of any desired length and diameter, according to the size of the sponge to be made.

The cylinder A preferably has one end or edge notched or provided with recesses a therein, leaving the projecting portions 1). There are preferably four notches a; and four projections 71, as shown; but there may be more or less, as desired. In the opposite end of the cylinder Ais preferably secured a wire 0 with an eye d to furnish means for grasping or holding the cylinder on the inside.

Any other suitable means for grasping or holding the cylinder on the inside may be used, if preferred. r

The cylinder B (shown in Fig. v2) is also preferably made of metal, open at both ends and split or divided lengthwise, as shown, so that the diameter of the cylinder may be reduced by passing the edges by each other, as shown in Fig. 4." Within one end of the cylinder B are secured upon opposite sides thereof the two wire projections or handles ff, which may be grasped and held by the thumb and forefinger to hold the cylinder and to press the edges 6 by each other.

The cylinder Bis about three-fourths as long as the cylinder Aand of such a diameter as to fit snugly within the cylinder A when the edges 6 of the cylinder B are passed by each other. v

The cylinder 0, Fig. 3, is preferably open at both ends and divided or split lengthwise, so that the edges 9 9 may be passed by each other to reduce the diameter of the cylinder. The cylinder 0 is a little shorter than the cylinder B and is adapted to be inserted within the lower end of said cylinder.

I will now describe how the three cylinders A, B, and G are used formaking artificial sponges. A strip of cotton. gauze, cheesecloth, or other suitable material about one fourth wider than the length of the cylinder A and with one end preferably having a selvage edge is wrapped or rolled a number of times around the exterior surface of the cylinder A, the selvage end being the end which is last Wrapped around the cylinder. One edge of the strip extends beyond the notched edge of the cylinder A. The other edge .does not extend beyond the other end of said cylinder. The number of times the cloth is wrapped around the cylinder determines the thickness of the sponge, and the diameter of the cylinder determines the size of the sponge in one direction. The length of the cylinder B determines the size of the sponge in the opposite direction. The sponge is fiat when ready for use. After the strip of cloth is wrapped around .the cylinder A the edge projecting beyond the notched end of the cylinder is turned in over the edge to extend within that end of the cylinder, and the cylinder B is grasped by the handles ff and compressed and the opposite or lower end insorted within the notched end of the cylinder A and pushed in until the upper ends of the two cylinders are flush or even with each other. The turned-in edge of the cloth is now held between the inner surface of the cylinder A and the outer surface of the cylinder B. The cloth is held firmly against the outer surface of the inner cylinder B by pressing it with the thumb and fingers of one hand of the operator through the notches a, between the projections 19. With the other hand, by means of the handle 0, the cylinder A is drawn off from the cylinder 13 and away from the cloth wrapped around the cylinder A, leaving the cloth with one edge turned in on the outer surface of the cylinder B. The other free edge of the cloth extends beyond one end of said cylinder B substantially the same distance that the folded edge is turned in. This projecting edge is turned into the end of the cylinder B and the third cylinder 0 inserted in said end for nearly the full length of said cylinder to hold the turned-in edge between the inner surface of the cylinder B and the outer surface of the cylinder 0. The

The cloth is now In the finished" sponge two or more thicknesses of the material are superimposed, and one end of the strip is concealed within the body of the sponge and the other end, as h, Fig. 7, is not concealed, but is on the exposed surface of the sponge, preferably at one side thereof, as shown in Fig. 7. The end it is free and not connected to the body of the sponge, except at the edges thereof.

The advantage of my artificial sponge will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art. It can be made very expeditiously, of

any desired thickness, according to the number of times the cloth is wrapped around the cylinder A, and of any desired size, according to the diameter of the cylinder A and the length of that cylinder and the cylinder B. The cut or raw edges of the cloth are turned or folded in for the whole length of the strip of cloth and the free end of the strip so connected with the body or main part of the sponge is smooth and even and the sponge itself is firm and strong.

It will be understood that the apparatus shown in the drawings for making artificial sponges by my improved method may be varied somewhat, if desired, and maybe modified and adapted to be manipulated by power instead of by hand, if desired.

Having thus described my invention, I claim is 1. In an apparatus for making artificial sponges of cheesecloth, &c., the combination with a cylinder, having one end or edge notched, and provided at its other end with means for holding the cylinder on the inside, of a second shorter cylinder divided lengthwise, to be inserted within the notched end of the first-mentioned cylinder, and support the cloth when said cylinder is withdrawn, substantially as shown and described. 2. Theherein-described apparatus for making artificial sponges, comprising a cylinder having one end or edge notched, and provided at its other end with means for holding the cylinder on the inside, a second cylinder divided lengthwise to be inserted within the what first-mentioned cylinder, and a third cylinder divided lengthwise to be inserted within the second-mentioned cylinder after the firstnientioned cylinder is withdrawn, substan- J. C. DEWEY, M. V. MCCARTHY. 

